This episode is about how to beat depression. Welcome to stay in the light recovery blog.

Most of us know we do you crazy circumstances and most of us have encountered fear today I want to discuss some suggestions on how to make a friend of fear.

Sounds like the beginning of a typical salvation story: “Wayward boy hears the voice of God, answers the call and changes the world.”

And I suppose if I had listened, it might have been just that. Or if I had been in the middle of doing some charitable good deed it would have been more expected. Or if the call had come from a burning bush in the wilderness, I might have been more disposed to stop what I was doing and pay attention. But that’s not how it happened.

Instead of listening, I was there to talk. Instead of a charitable deed, I intended to hurt someone. Instead of a burning bush, there was a peculiar old gardener who seemed to appear out of the bushes.

I was in Las Vegas with a collector named Jerry Slocum. He had invited me along because of the number of legs I had broken on behalf of the Teamsters. The home I visited belonged to a man who owed Jerry some money and was late in paying it back.

The man wasn’t home, so I decided to enjoy myself while I waited. He had a pool, and since Vegas is in the desert, a swim sounded refreshing. I didn’t have swim trunks, but I had no problem with skinny dipping.

I climbed out of the pool and stood there, wearing just my boxers, when I was surprised by an elderly black man who came out of nowhere. He wore a tool belt with clippers, so I assumed he was the gardener.

He fell to his knees in front of me and spoke those words, “You are a special one, chosen by the Messiah.”

“You’re out of your mind,” I responded. “Get off your knees.”

Our mind (and our heart) are both battlegrounds, as they are home to fragments of our life experiences that shape us. Most of us are tiptoeing through pleasant pasture—mixed with shards of glass. An alloy of positive memories, like sweet-smelling fruit, is also impacted by painful incidents that cling like mold...polluting what makes us feel good about ourselves and others.

Deep-rooted, emotional pain hurts. It thrusts us off balance, obstructs our plans, and often is difficult to dig up. This messy, tangled web spreads throughout our life and affects the relationships most dear to us. When the source of painful memories suffocates our fruit, it rots.

Ultimately, we become numb to our pain and even justify our reactions and make excuses. In this unhealthy state, we lose our joy and happiness. Pain paralyzes us, leaving us standing still, staring off into the future like a mannequin in a store window. Wouldn't it be great if our hearts were like a blackboard?

As difficult as it seems, the good news is we can scrape off the mold and let the pain go. God's word says we must endure for a little while. God can restore us.

“I’ve since learned to deal with anger in more constructive and God-honoring ways.

I’m not perfect, but I am making progress. If you’re stuck in anger, perhaps some of the steps I’ve learned along the way can help you as well:

Don’t deny anger. Make a conscious decision to call an irritation what it is. Something’s wrong. It’s okay to say that.

Delay anger. Put anger on hold. This gives you an opportunity to say to yourself, “I could be wrong here, so let me think this through.” This simple action requires a depth of maturity. This is where you need to slow the situation down to assess what’s really going on. Make a conscious choice to be patient.

Define anger, then deliver it to God. Like pulling back the covers on a lumpy bed to see what’s hiding underneath, ask yourself the simple question: “Why am I really angry?” Most people never ask this question, they just immediately react to the trigger of their anger. Take the time to reflect and define. After  identifying your anger, talk to God about your hurt. The real reason for your anger is where God wants to meet you. Tell Him all about it, and ask Him for help.

Defuse the anger, then respond. The first three steps help to defuse your anger, but you still need to respond. Make it your goal to respond in a way that honors God and promotes peace by making the situation less harmful, potent, intense, just as you would--by physically removing a fuse from a bomb. Take to heart the words from the Scriptures, “A gentle answer turns away wrath” (Proverbs 15:1.) Whenever you do this, you are choosing to seek relationship peace.

Anger is a part of life and requires a response. But, remember that whenever we feel angry, we have a choice. We can take the route that leads to pain or the one that leads to peace. With God’s help, we can choose peace!” —Dr.Leonard Wayne  PsyD

Much research, many papers written on this subject. Lots of Anger info out there. Dr. Leonard Wayne is a Friend.  He has experienced vicious anger. To get his story, read his popular book, “Higher and Higher” available at Amazon.   He is now a Doctor of Psychology Christ’s new life is very much alive in Leonard’s life. Facing Anger? We all do in various ways.  The above  displays how one person  & (I’ll bet) others have and are handling it.   Yep, something to think about…eh?

Lovel, Dr.Jim Hege-